Grow a garden thats filled with Purple Vienna Kohlrabi plants, from freshly harvested Brassica oleracea seeds. Purple Vienna is an heirloom vegetable, which forms purple colored bulbs, with a white colored flesh. They boast a turnip-cabbage type flavoring, and display leaves above its bulbs, which are green to purple in appearance. Purple Vienna bulbs usually measure in at 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and grow under foliage that grows about 18 inches tall. Preferably harvested in the early Summer and late Autumn seasons, Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is a cool weather crop. Fruits can be harvested in roughly 55 days, or after they become the size of a tennis ball. Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is categorized as an annual crop. This means that the plants will grow quickly from freshly harvested seeds, and will later produce bulbs/fruits, flowers and seeds all within a single growing season. If allowed to bolt, your Kohlrabi plants will produce pods in mid to late Summer. The pods are filled with seeds, which can be collected and stored for regrowing the following season. Sowing The Seed Kohlrabi is a cool weather crop that can be started directly outdoors in the early Spring season. Begin by clearing your sowing area of all unwanted plant life and weeds, making sure that the soil is worked at least 8 inches deep. Once the soil has been tilled, sow the seeds at a depth of 1/4" deep, and lightly cover with topsoil. Growing Conditions As Explained prior, these plants require slightly cooler temperatures and are best established in early Spring, or in the Autumn season. They require an area of full sunlight for at least 6 hours and temperatures of around 50F to 75F. The soil should be fertile and rich in organic matter, but it should also be well drained. To improve drainage, we recommend adding a light compost to areas containing hard, compact soil. Water the soil daily until germination has successfully occurred, watering regularly thereafter. Germination & Growth Kohlrabi seeds typically take anywhere between 7 to 14 days to germinate, if the proper conditions are met. The plants will reach a mature height of 18 inches tall, and can spread up to 12 inches wide. Each plant can be spaced 8 to 10 inches apart from one another, in rows that are spaced about 18 inches apart. The plants will produce purple colored bulbs within 55 days. Harvesting Purple Vienna Kohlrabi Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is ready for harvesting in roughly 55 days, when the bulbs are about the size of a tennis ball. Simply cut the bulb / fruit at the base, where it meets the earth beneath. Once harvested, Purple Vienna Kohlrabi can be consumed raw or cooked. The bulbs can be sliced and used as a cabbage substitute or stored by pickling as well.